Creamy, delicious, indulgent, Southern Mashed Potatoes. After eating two plates full of these potatoes the day after Thanksgiving, I might have positively begged my friend Stephanie for the recipe.

Yep, they’re that good. Thankfully, she was willing to share and these potatoes are now a staple at our house right along with our Cornbread Sausage Stuffing!

Creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes are the perfect Holiday side dish.

Southern Style Mashed Potatoes

Are these homemade mashed potatoes indulgent? Sure. It’s the holidays! Nearly all of us indulge in something at this time of the year. For many, this time of the year means eating more sweets than normal; but for me, it means allowing myself to eat a plate -or two- of these deliciously creamy Southern Mashed Potatoes.

Most of the recipes on my websites are quite crunchy and very colorful, nearly two requirements for the foods I eat regularly. However, special occasions like Thanksgiving and the holidays call for exceptional recipes – and if they can be made ahead of time, even better!

These mashed potatoes are a perfect example of a gluten-free Thanksgiving side dish that’s delicious enough to end up on everyone’s plate and safe for any guests with a gluten allergy or intolerance.

And if you’re looking for more gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes, check out the Giving Thanks: a Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu. It has 20+ recipes to choose from with a done-for-you prep guide so you can stay ahead of the game and still enjoy the classic dishes you and your family look forward to all year.

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Inside this eBook, you’ll find 23 gluten-free Thanksgiving recipes. PLUS, done-for-you daily holiday prep, helpful kitchen notes, and hour-by-hour timing instructions for Thanksgiving day.

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What goes in them?

So back to these incredibly tasty mashed potatoes. They are quite rich since they are made with butter, half and half, and cream cheese; but they never disappoint when entertaining.

Naturally, you’ll want a bit of onion, a few cloves of garlic, and chives for the top. All of this comes together to make perfect mashed potatoes.

How to Prep the Potatoes

While mashed potatoes tend to be a labor-intensive side dish, a few years now I’ve prepped them ahead of time by washing, peeling and chopping them a few days ahead of cooking and storing them in the fridge in a large bowl covered with water. This way the potatoes don’t brown while waiting to be cooked, and it eliminates a lot of work the day you want to eat the potatoes.

Of course, you can make this recipe two days before you need it and then warm it in the oven before serving. Doing this has made a big difference in my celebrations. One of the things I enjoy most about this side dish, besides eating it, is “taste testing” the mashed potatoes to check if they need a little bit more salt. Do you do this?

I remember four years ago, while 8 months pregnant with my third child, being in front of the stove “testing” these mashed potatoes. My husband still talks about “that one time I ate half the pot of mashed potatoes before Thanksgiving” -what can I say, I have my weaknesses. For some it’s chocolate, for me, it’s creamy mashed potatoes.

Another version of these potatoes that Stephanie kindly shared is to brown some bacon in the pan before sautéing the onions and using the bacon fat to cook down the onions.

As you can imagine, we typically go for a long walk around our neighborhood after this big meal; the kids ride their bikes, and it gives us the opportunity to walk down these mashed potatoes while having terrific family conversations.

What are some of the ways you keep you and your family healthy after indulging during the holidays?

Southern Mashed Potatoes

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 17 reviews

Creamy, delicious, and simply indulgent; these Southern Mashed Potatoes are just the thing to make for your family and guests during the holidays!

Author: Laura Fuentes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 10 servings
Category: Dinner
Method: Stove-top
Cuisine: American
Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 garlic cloves, grated
5 pounds Russet or Yukon Gold Potatoes
¾ cups butter
8-ounce package cream cheese softened
½ cup to ¾ cups half & half, warmed prior to using in recipe
½ teaspoon salt
Fresh chives, finely chopped for serving

Instructions

Wash, peel, and cut potatoes into similar sized pieces. Bring a large pot of water to a slow boil, add potatoes, add salt, and bring to a boil. Cook potatoes for 25-30 minutes (will vary by size), until they are soft enough for a fork to slide through and easily break through the potato.
Meanwhile, on a large pan over medium high heat, heat up oil. Sauté the garlic for 30 seconds, until it begins to soften and is fragrant. Add the onions, and cook until soft and translucent, for about 7 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.
Drain the potatoes in a large colander. Once drained, transfer them back into the large pot. Over low heat, begin mashing the potatoes, add the sautéed onions and garlic and continue mashing allowing the steam to escape. Turn off heat and add butter, cream cheese, ½ cup of warmed half and half, and salt. Add additional half and half if necessary and mix through until the cream cheese has melted. Transfer hot potatoes to an oven proof serving dish and keep them in the oven if not using up immediately. Garnish with chives.

Equipment

Gluten-Free Thanksgiving Menu

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Notes

When making this dish a day or two in advance, take it out of the fridge about 2 to 3 hours before serving time. Bake in a 350-degree oven for about 20 to 30 minutes or until warmed through.

Nutrition

Serving Size: ¾ cup
Calories: 397
Sugar: 3.7g
Sodium: 211mg
Fat: 23.1g
Saturated Fat: 14.1g
Carbohydrates: 42.8g
Fiber: 5g
Protein: 6.8g
Cholesterol: 63.7mg

Keywords: Mashed potatoes, homemade mashed potatoes

Homemade Southern Mashed Potatoes